Comparison of Linux Wireless Extension 22 vs Python WiFi. WE22 is the baseline
to which Python WiFi must match-up, but Python WiFi may have some convenience
features not in WE22.
| Python WiFi | ||||
| Feature | WE22 | Class | Version | Note |
| /proc devices | yes | iwlib | 0.3.1 | get wireless devices from /proc |
| SIOCGIFCONF | yes | iwlib | 0.3.1 | get wireless devices via ioctl |
| SIOCSIWCOMMIT | yes | Wireless | send commit instruction | |
| SIOCGIWNAME | yes | Wireless | 0.3.1 | get wireless protocol |
| SIOCSIWNWID | yes | not implemented | set network id (pre-802.11) | |
| SIOCGIWNWID | yes | not implemented | get network id (the cell) | |
| SIOCSIWFREQ | yes | Wireless | set channel/frequency (Hz) | |
| SIOCGIWFREQ | yes | Wireless | 0.3.1 | get channel/frequency (Hz) |
| all freqs | Wireless | 0.3.1 | get all frequencies/channels device can handle | |
| SIOCSIWMODE | yes | Wireless | 0.3.1 | set operation mode |
| SIOCGIWMODE | yes | Wireless | 0.3.1 | get operation mode |
| SIOCSIWSENS | yes | not implemented | set sensitivity (dBm) | |
| SIOCGIWSENS | yes | Wireless | 0.3.1 | get sensitivity (dBm) |
| SIOCGIWRANGE | yes | Iwrange | 0.3.1 | get range of parameters |
| SIOCGIWPRIV | yes | not implemented | get private ioctl interface | |
| SIOCGIWSTATS | yes | Iwstats | 0.3.1 | get /proc/net/wireless stats |
| SIOCSIWSPY | yes | not implemented | set spy addresses | |
| SIOCGIWSPY | yes | not implemented | get spy info (quality of link) | |
| SIOCSIWTHRSPY | yes | not implemented | set spy threshold (spy event) | |
| SIOCGIWTHRSPY | yes | not implemented | get spy threshold | |
| SIOCSIWAP | yes | Wireless | set access point MAC addresses | |
| SIOCGIWAP | yes | Wireless | 0.3.1 | get access point MAC addresses |
| SIOCSIWSCAN | yes | Iwscan | 0.3.1 | trigger scanning (list cells) |
| SIOCGIWSCAN | yes | Iwscan | 0.3.1 | get scanning results |
| SIOCSIWESSID | yes | Wireless | 0.3.1 | set ESSID (network name) |
| SIOCGIWESSID | yes | Wireless | 0.3.1 | get ESSID |
| SIOCSIWNICKN | yes | not implemented | set node name/nickname | |
| SIOCGIWNICKN | yes | not implemented | get node name/nickname | |
| SIOCSIWRATE | yes | not implemented | set default bit rate (bps) | |
| SIOCGIWRATE | yes | Wireless | 0.3.1 | get default bit rate (bps) |
| all bitrates | Wireless | 0.3.1 | get all bitrates device can handle | |
| SIOCSIWRTS | yes | not implemented | set RTS/CTS threshold (bytes) | |
| SIOCGIWRTS | yes | Wireless | 0.3.1 | get RTS/CTS threshold (bytes) |
| SIOCSIWFRAG | yes | not implemented | set fragmentation thr (bytes) | |
| SIOCGIWFRAG | yes | Wireless | 0.3.1 | get fragmentation thr (bytes) |
| SIOCSIWTXPOW | yes | not implemented | set transmit power (dBm) | |
| SIOCGIWTXPOW | yes | Wireless | 0.3.1 | get transmit power (dBm) |
| SIOCSIWRETRY | yes | not implemented | set retry limits and lifetime | |
| SIOCGIWRETRY | yes | Wireless | 0.3.1 | get retry limits and lifetime |
| SIOCSIWENCODE | yes | Wireless | set encoding token & mode | |
| SIOCGIWENCODE | yes | Wireless | 0.3.1 | get encoding token & mode |
| SIOCSIWPOWER | yes | not implemented | set Power Management settings | |
| SIOCGIWPOWER | yes | Wireless | 0.3.1 | get Power Management settings |
| SIOCSIWMODUL | yes | not implemented | set Modulations settings | |
| SIOCGIWMODUL | yes | not implemented | get Modulations settings | |
| SIOCSIWGENIE | yes | not implemented | set generic IE | |
| SIOCGIWGENIE | yes | not implemented | get generic IE | |
| SIOCSIWMLME | yes | not implemented | request MLME operation | |
| SIOCSIWAUTH | yes | not implemented | set authentication mode params | |
| SIOCGIWAUTH | yes | not implemented | get authentication mode params | |
| SIOCSIWENCODEEXT | yes | not implemented | set encoding token & mode | |
| SIOCGIWENCODEEXT | yes | not implemented | get encoding token & mode | |
| SIOCSIWPMKSA | yes | not implemented | PMKSA cache operation | |
